Wizzard
{{Short description|British 1970s rock and roll band}}
{{About|the 1970s rock and roll band|the Discworld wizard known as a "Wizzard"|Rincewind|other uses|Wizard (disambiguation)}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Refimprove|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Wizzard
| background = group_or_band
| image = Wizzard - TopPop 1974 4.png
| caption = Wizzard in May 1974
| origin = Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
| genre = {{Flatlist|
}}
| years_active = 1972–1975
| label = Jet, EMI, United Artists, Warner Bros., Edsel
| spinoffs = {{hlist|Wizzo Band|Violinski}}
| associated_acts =
| website =
| spinoff_of = {{hlist|Electric Light Orchestra|The Move}}
| current_members =
| past_members = {{plainlist|
- Roy Wood
- Mike Burney
- Charlie Grima
- Bill Hunt
- Hugh McDowell
- Nick Pentelow
- Rick Price
- Keith Smart
- Bob Brady}}
}}
Wizzard were an English rock band formed by Roy Wood, former member of the Move and co-founder of the Electric Light Orchestra. The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits states, "Wizzard was Roy Wood just as much as Wings was Paul McCartney."{{cite book
| first= Jo
| last= Rice
| year= 1982
| title= The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits
| edition= 1st
| publisher= Guinness Superlatives Ltd
| location= Enfield, Middlesex
| page= 150
| isbn= 0-85112-250-7}} They are most famous for their 1973 Christmas single "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday".
History
=Beginnings=
Not long after the release of Electric Light Orchestra's first album, Wood found himself in political disagreements with the band's manager Don Arden. Following a difference of opinion during recording of the band's second album, ELO 2, Wood walked out of the session, went down the road to a studio where the Birmingham group Mongrel (which included his former Move bandmate Rick Price, as well as drummers Charlie Grima and Keith Smart) were recording, and asked them if they would be interested in putting a band together.{{cite web |last=Sharp |first=Ken |title=Roy Wood: The Wizzard of Rock |url=http://www.themoveonline.com/archive_01.html |website=The Move Online |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080115045412/http://www.themoveonline.com/archive_01.html |archive-date=January 15, 2008 |date=September 30, 1994 |url-status=dead }}
Wood left ELO, taking band members Bill Hunt (keyboards and french horn) and Hugh McDowell (cello) with him, as well as ELO's sound engineer, Trevor Smith. Despite press reporting a fallout between Wood and co-founder/leader Jeff Lynne, Wood denies that he and Lynne ever had a real row, blaming it on press fabrication and insisting that "We never had a real row and we're still mates now."{{Cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/wizzard-and-move-pop-legend-roy-239409|title=Wizzard and Move pop legend Roy Wood reveals his secret shyness|first=Sunday|last=Mercury|date=5 April 2009|website=Birminghammail.co.uk}}{{Cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/roy-wood-leaves-elo/|title=Why Roy Wood Really Left the Electric Light Orchestra|first=Martin|last=Kielty|website=Ultimateclassicrock.com|date=8 June 2017 }} In fact, Wood claimed that he left the group because he foresaw a fallout between him and Lynne due to their increasing differences of opinion (which he felt were caused, indirectly, by the band's management) and wanted to avoid it.
Also in the line-up were saxophone players Mike Burney and Nick Pentelow (the son of actor Arthur Pentelow). Prior to the recording of the band's second album, Introducing Eddy and the Falcons, McDowell left and was not replaced (he returned to ELO), and during the recording of the album Bill Hunt also departed and was replaced by Bob Brady (also from Mongrel). Prior to the 1975 recording of the band's final album, Main Street (released 2000), drummer Keith Smart departed the band and was not replaced.
=Chart success and tours=
The band made their live debut at The London Rock and Roll Show at Wembley Stadium on 5 August 1972.{{cite book| first= tilly| last= Tobler| year= 1992| title= NME Rock 'N' Roll Years| edition= 1st| publisher= Reed International Books Ltd | location= London| page= 75| id= CN 5585}} Wizzard's second appearance was at the Reading Festival later that month. With Wood's distinctive warpaint make-up and colourful costume,{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p139289/biography |pure_url=yes}} |title=Biography by Doug Stone |website=Allmusic |access-date=7 December 2008}} not to mention regular appearances on BBC Television's Top of the Pops in which members and friends, including Wood's girl friend, singer Ayshea Brough, variously appeared in pantomime horses, gorilla costumes or as roller-skating angels, often wielding custard pies for good measure, Wizzard were one of the most picturesque groups of the British glam rock era. In 1973 they scored their first Top 10 hit with "Ball Park Incident", which made No. 6 for three weeks from 13 January.{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/ball-park-incident/|title = Ball park incident | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company|website = OfficialCharts.com}} Their biggest hit was with their second single. "See My Baby Jive", Wood's faithful and affectionate tribute to the Phil Spector-generated 'Wall of Sound', made No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart for four weeks. It sold over one million copies globally, and was awarded gold disc status.{{cite book| first= Joseph| last= Murrells| year= 1978| title= The Book of Golden Discs| edition= 2nd| publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd| location= London| page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/339 339]| isbn= 0-214-20512-6| url-access= registration| url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/339}} The follow-up, "Angel Fingers", also topped the charts for one week. Wizzard's songs often included lengthy instrumental improvisations.
The band's 1973 Christmas single "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" became an annual fixture on British (and Irish) radio and television. It was reissued in 1981, and a 12" re-recording appeared in 1984.
During 1973 Harvest Records released the Roy Wood solo album Boulders, which he had recorded and mixed years before forming Wizzard, and which produced a Top 20 hit in "Dear Elaine". Wood said he was bored with Boulders by the time of its release and he wanted to focus on his new music with Wizzard. The subsequent heavy working schedule and strain led to health problems, and several cancelled or postponed live dates on a spring 1974 tour of the UK.Van der Kiste, John (2012). Roy Wood: The Move, Wizzard and beyond. KDP. One highlight of 1974 was a return to the Top 10 with "Rock 'n' Roll Winter (Loony's Tune)". Release was delayed for several weeks until the end of March, so the words 'Sorry, the word 'Spring' wouldn't fit. R.W.' were added on the label after the title. Unusually for the time, this song and the B-side, "Dream of Unwin", were both recorded and released in mono. The song was dedicated to Wood's girlfriend at the time, Lynsey de Paul, who repaid the honour by recording a Wizzard-style song, "Ooh I Do", a few months later.
A tour of the US later that year failed to bring them any commercial success there, but after meeting Brian Wilson some members guested on a Beach Boys session, which resulted in the eventual release of the latter group's single "It's OK" in 1976. According to Wood, the record label neglected to make a substantial push to make Wizzard a success in the U.S., preferring to focus promotion on England since the band were already very popular there.
=Financial difficulties=
Wizzard was an expensive band to maintain, both because of the large line-up, in terms of recording costs, and Bill Hunt's propensity to smash the pianos of the venues they were playing at. Studio time was an even greater drain on the band's finances. According to Price in a radio interview, "When we finished recording 'Angel Fingers' it was rumoured that we had spent more time in the studio than Paul McCartney had with the whole of the Band on the Run album." Whether it was true or not, this meant that most of the record company's money was spent in studio time and that the members of the band had to rely on live touring work for their income. A couple of tours in the UK and one tour of the US were not enough to ensure regular wages for the band. One by one the band members found other, more lucrative, things to occupy their time.{{Cite web|url=http://www.priceandlee.org/pricelee101_002.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060504204358/http://www.priceandlee.org/pricelee101_002.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 May 2006|title=Rick Price|date=4 May 2006|access-date=22 August 2019}}
=Disbanding=
By autumn 1975 they had split, leaving a farewell single, "Rattlesnake Roll", which failed to chart, and a third album, Main Street, which their record label did not release as they deemed it insufficiently commercial. Wizzard had initially intended their second album to be a double, with one disc a set of rock and roll pastiches and the other disc jazz-rock. The label heard the rock and roll set and decided to release that as a single album, which appeared in 1974 as Introducing Eddy & The Falcons. Main Street, the jazz-rock set, languished in the vaults and was for some time presumed lost, but was finally released in 2000.
=Post-Wizzard=
Following the band's split in 1975, Wood and Price formed the short-lived Wizzo Band, after which Wood reverted to a solo career in addition to producing records for other acts, notably a 1979 Top 10 cover version of "Duke of Earl" for British doo-wop revivalists Darts.
On 13 November 2014, saxophonist Mike Burney died, aged 76, after a long battle with cancer.{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/central/update/2014-11-14/wizzard-star-mike-burney-dies-aged-76/|title=Wizzard star Mike Burney dies aged 76|work=ITV|access-date=6 December 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/wizzard-star-mike-burney-who-8112432|title=Wizzard star Mike Burney, who also played with The Beach Boys, Sammy Davis Junior and Bob Hope has died|work=Birmingham Mail|date=14 November 2014|access-date=18 December 2014}} Hugh McDowell died on 6 November 2018 following a long illness, at the age of 65.{{Cite news|url=https://bestclassicbands.com/hugh-mcdowell-obituary-11-7-18/|title=Hugh McDowell, ELO Cellist, Dies at 65 - Best Classic Bands|date=2015-06-16|website=Bestclassicbands.com|access-date=2018-11-07|language=en-GB}} On 17 May 2022, bassist Rick Price died aged 77.{{Cite web|url=http://www.brumbeat.net/rickprice.htm|title=Rick Price|website=Brumbeat.net|access-date=16 January 2024}}
Personnel
- Roy Wood - vocals, guitars, saxophone, woodwinds, strings, keyboards, percussion (1972-1975)
- Mike Burney - saxophone, clarinet, flute (1972-1975; died 2014)
- Charlie Grima - drums, percussion, vocals (1972-1975)
- Bill Hunt - keyboards, French horn (1972-1973)
- Hugh McDowell - cello, synthesisers (1972-1973; died 2018)
- Nick Pentelow - saxophone, clarinet, flute (1972-1975)
- Rick Price - bass, vocals (1972-1975; died 2022)
- Keith Smart - drums (1972-1975)
- Bob Brady - keyboards, vocals (1974-1975)
=Timeline=
{{#tag:timeline|
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PlotArea = left:115 bottom:120 top:10 right:30
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/07/1972 till:01/07/1978
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
ScaleMajor = increment:1 start:1973
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1973
Colors =
id:voc value:red legend:Vocals
id:key value:purple legend:Keyboards
id:psg value:drabgreen legend:Pedal_steel_guitar
id:eg value:green legend:Guitars
id:b value:blue legend:Bass
id:dr value:orange legend:Drums
id:pc value:claret legend:Percussion
id:sax value:tan2 legend:Saxophone,_flute,_clarinet
id:horn value:skyblue legend:French_horn
id:horn2 value:coral legend:Trombone
id:cello value:darkblue legend:Cello
id:backing value:pink legend:Backing_vocals
id:alb value:black legend:Studio_release
id:band value:powderblue legend:Band_name
LineData =
at:01/03/1973 color:black layer:back
at:01/07/1974
at:01/01/1976
at:01/09/1977
PlotData =
width:15 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,–4)
bar:Wizzard from:start till:01/07/1975 color:band
bar:Wizzo Band from:02/07/1975 till:end color:band
bar:Roy Wood from:start till:end color:voc
bar:Roy Wood from:start till:end color:eg width:9
bar:Roy Wood from:start till:end color:sax width:7
bar:Roy Wood from:01/07/1973 till:end color:cello width:5
bar:Roy Wood from:start till:end color:key width:3
bar:Paul Robbins from:01/07/1976 till:end color:backing
bar:Bill Hunt from:start till:01/07/1974 color:key
bar:Bill Hunt from:start till:01/07/1974 color:horn width:3
bar:Bob Brady from:01/07/1974 till:01/07/1976 color:key
bar:Bob Brady from:01/07/1974 till:01/07/1975 color:backing width:3
bar:Rick Price from:start till:01/07/1977 color:b
bar:Rick Price from:start till:01/07/1977 color:backing width:3
bar:Rick Price from:start till:01/07/1975 color:pc width:7
bar:Rick Price from:01/07/1975 till:01/07/1977 color:psg width:7
bar:Rick Price from:02/07/1977 till:end color:psg
bar:Rick Price from:02/07/1977 till:end color:eg width:3
bar:Graham Gallery from:01/07/1977 till:end color:b
bar:Charlie Grima from:start till:01/07/1976 color:dr
bar:Charlie Grima from:start till:01/07/1976 color:pc width:7
bar:Charlie Grima from:start till:01/07/1975 color:backing width:3
bar:Charlie Grima from:02/07/1975 till:01/07/1976 color:voc width:3
bar:Keith Smart from:start till:01/07/1975 color:dr
bar:Dave Donovan from:01/07/1976 till:end color:dr
bar:Mike Burney from:start till:01/07/1976 color:sax
bar:Nick Pentelow from:start till:01/07/1976 color:sax
bar:Billy Paul from:02/07/1976 till:end color:sax
bar:Bob Wilson from:02/07/1976 till:end color:horn2
bar:Hugh McDowell from:start till:01/07/1973 color:cello
bar:Hugh McDowell from:start till:01/07/1973 color:key width:3
}}
Discography
=Albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| UK {{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/wizzard/|title=Wizzard > UK Charts|publisher=Official Charts Company}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| AUS
|
| scope="row"| Wizzard Brew
|
| 29 || 50 | |
| scope="row"| Introducing Eddy and the Falcons
|
| 19 || — | |
| scope="row"| Main Street
|
| — || — | |
| colspan="18" style="font-size: 85%"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
=Compilations=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Title
! scope="col"| Album details |
|---|
| scope="row"| See My Baby Jive
|
|
| scope="row"| The Best of Roy Wood and Wizzard
|
|
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" | ||
| scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album | ||
|---|---|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| UK ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| AUS ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| IRL | ||
| 1972
! scope="row"| "Ball Park Incident" | 6 | 70 | 8
| | rowspan="5"| non-album singles |
| rowspan="3"| 1973
! scope="row"| "See My Baby Jive" {{efn-ua|vocal backing by The Suedettes}} | 1 | 12 | 1
| |
| scope="row"| "Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad)" {{efn-ua|vocal backing:The Suedettes and the Bleach Boys}}
| 1 || 42 || 7 | | ||
| scope="row"| "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" {{efn-ua|Wizzard featuring vocal backing by The Suedettes plus The Stockland Green Bilateral School First Year Choir with additional noises by Miss Snob and Class 3C}}
| 4 || 52{{efn-ua|first charted in 2022}} || 6 | | ||
| rowspan="3"| 1974
! scope="row"| "Rock 'n' Roll Winter (Loony's Tune)" | 6 | — | 13
| |
| scope="row"| "This Is the Story of My Love (Baby)"
| 34 || — || — | | rowspan="1"| Introducing Eddy and the Falcons | ||
| scope="row"| "Are You Ready to Rock"
| 8 || — || 10 | | rowspan="4"| non-album singles | ||
| 1975
! scope="row"| "Rattlesnake Roll" | — | — | —
| |
| 1976
! scope="row"| "Indiana Rainbow" {{efn-ua|credited to Roy Wood's Wizzard}} | — | — | —
| |
| 1981
! scope="row"| "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" (re-issue) | 41 | — | —
| |
| colspan="18" style="font-size: 8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
{{notelist-ua}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p139289|pure_url=yes}} Wizzard biography] at Allmusic
- {{discogs artist|artist=Wizzard (2)}}
- {{imdb name|2877033}}
- {{YouTube|Tp0PrMBkh_w|Ball Park Incident (2006 Remaster)}}
- [https://www.45cat.com/artist/wizzard Wizzard] at 45cat.com
{{Roy Wood}}{{Authority control}}
Category:Musical groups established in 1972
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1975
Category:Musical groups from Birmingham, West Midlands
Category:English glam rock groups
Category:Harvest Records artists
Category:Warner Records artists
Category:United Artists Records artists